Bushlight Energy Archive

Bushlight was CfAT's renewable energy program running between 2002 and 2013.

During this time, over 130 renewable energy systems were installed across remote Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland. The Bushlight philosophy was based around reliable and affordable power enabling community livelihood opportunities.

Case Studies

Bushlight Case Study 1: Mount Peachy
This case study looks at Syd and Connie’s house; one of three located in Mount Peachy, a remote community 90 kilometres south of Alice Springs. [March 2004]

Bushlight Case Study 2: Corkwood Bore
Corkwood Bore is the relocation site for the Arrernte families of Harry Creek East Outstation. [July 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 3: Dingo Spring
This case study looks at Dingo Spring, a small community 45 kilometres east of Kununurra in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. [August 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 4: Chuula
In the late 1980s, the Kaanju people returned to their traditional homelands on the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Chuula Homelands was the first permanently occupied contemporary Kaanju community. [September 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 5: Kurraya
This case study looks at Kurraya, a small Warramungu community east of Tennant Creek. The community consists of 5 full-time residents and up to 10 regular visitors. [September 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 6: Putulki
This case study looks at Putulki, a small Warramungu community north-east of Tennant Creek. [September 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 7: Milibundurra
Milibundurra is a small Yanyuwa Homeland near Borroloola in the South-West Gulf region of the Northern Territory. [December 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 8: Sandridge
Sandridge is a small community 17 kilometres east of Borroloola. [December 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 9: Bawaka
This case study looks at Bawaka, a small Yolnu Homeland in East Arnhem Land. [December 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 10: Birri Williams
Birri Williams is a small outstation situated on the northern coast of Mornington Island, Queensland some 300 metres from the oceans edge. Birri means “many underground water” in the Lardil language of Mornington Island. [December 2005]

Bushlight Case Study 11: Gunun Woonun
Gunun Woonun, meaning “tall oak tree”, is a small homeland situated on the southern coast of Mornington Island, about 29 kilometres from the main township of Gununa. [March 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 12: Galawdjapin
Galawdjapin is the home of Robert Gural and his wife, Margaret Myall. [April 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 13: Kitty Wells
Kitty Wells is homeland community located in Western Australia’s Kimberly region. [March 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 14: Wulununjur
Wulununjar community is 200 kilometres from Broome in Western Australia. [May 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 15: Ngarantjadu
Ngarantjadu is located in the Fitzroy Region of the West Kimberley, 400 kilometres south-east of Derby. Ngarantjadu-Tjillji Bore Aboriginal Corporation is the official name for this community, however Ngarantjadu is commonly used. [May 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 16: Wumajbarr
Wumajbarr is 20 kilometres north from Numbulwar in East Arnhem Land. Numbulwar is the community’s major provider of goods and services. Wumajbarr has been established as a homeland for the past 30 years. [May 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 18: Gunbah
Gunbah, meaning “big country”, is a small outstation on Mornington Island. [June 2006]

Bushlight Case Study 19: Munget
Munget is a small homeland overlooking the southern end of Pender Bay on the Dampier Peninsula, 170 kilometres north of Broome. [May 2007]

Bushlight Case study 20: Mingalkala
The Mingalkala community sits on a wide open-valley floor located approximately 115 kilometres south-east of Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. [June 2007]

Bushlight Case Study 21: Irrerlirre & Karrinyarra
This case study focuses on the energy services of two Central Australian homelands and their history with Bushlight. [December 2007]

Bushlight Case Study 22: Blue Bush
This case study describes the establishment of the Bushlight community renewable energy system at Blue Bush, and how this helped residents pursue their livelihood aspirations. [June 2008]

Bushlight Case Study 23: Port Stewart
This case study looks at the establishment of two Bushlight renewable energy systems at Port Stewart and how this helped residents pursue their livelihood aspirations. [September 2008]

Bushlight Case Study 24: Gnylmarung
Gnylmarung is situated on the west coast of the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. [August 2008]

Bushlight Case Study 25: Chile Creek
This case study outlines a profile of the outstation of Chile Creek; its history, residents and enterprise development. [November 2008]

Bushlight Case Study 26: Wada Warra
This case study is about the small outstation of Wada Warra in the Northern Territory’s Roper Gulf. [November 2008]

Bushlight Case Study 27: Wandigalla
This case study looks at the community of Wandigalla, its enterprises, and its energy services history. [February 2009]

Bushlight Case Study 28: Mata Mata
Mata Mata is a homeland community located in the beautiful and remote coastal area of East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. [February 2009]

Bushlight Case Study 29: Mt Theo
This case study is about the Mt Theo outstation, a community that is helping change the lives and futures of many young people in the region. [November 2009]

Bushlight Case Study 30: Wahrapaant
This case study looks at the establishment of the Bushlight community renewable energy system at Wahrapaant. [August 2009]

Bushlight Case Study 31: Ulpanyali
Living only a few kilometres from one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations provides residents of Ulpanyali community with many opportunities to develop livelihoods and share their knowledge. [September 2009]

Bushlight Case Study 32: Bushlight in Kakadu
Kakadu National Park is an internationally renowned World Heritage Site. It is visited each year by more than 200,000 people from around the world. [November 2009]

Bushlight Case Study 33: Gurrumurru
Gurrumurru plays an important role in North-East Arnhem Land as a cultural hub community. Residents of Gurrumurru have been living with a Bushlight solar power system since 2005. [December 2010]

Bushlight Case Study 34: Focus on Education
Parents living in urban and regional centres are unlikely to pay much attention to the link between electricity and the education of their children. [February 2012]

Bushlight Case Study 35: Keeping the Lights On
This case study looks at how Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Centre is leading the way in long-term sustainability of renewable energy systems in remote Australia. [October 2012]